This activity is made possible in part by the 

Minnesota Legacy Amendment's Arts & Cultural Heritage Fund

This activity is made possible in part by the Minnesota Legacy Amendment's Arts & Cultural Heritage Fund.


Clean Water, Land and Legacy Amendment logo

Clean Water, Land and Legacy Amendment

"Nar mitt oye" - Oslo Chamber Choir at St. Olaf

"Han Ole" - Oslo Chamber Choir

Oslo Chamber Choir at MPR: Halling

Oslo Chamber Choir at MPR: When My Eye is Heavy with Tears

Steve Staruch can be heard on Classical Minnesota Public Radio on Monday mornings and at other times during the week. Prior to joining the staff of MPR in 2004, Steve presented a variety of radio programs on WCAL in Northfield, Minn., where he created an immensely popular call-in program, and on WXXI in Rochester, New York. Outside radio, Steve also enjoys work as a freelance tenor and violist. Steve and his wife, Naomi, enjoy traveling, gardening and hosting dinner parties.


Steve Staruch

On Thursday's Regional Spotlight, classical host Steve Staruch features a recent performance by the visiting Oslo Chamber Choir at Boe Memorial Chapel at St. Olaf College in Northfield.


Choral Stream

Regional Spotlight: Oslo Chamber Choir

New Classical Tracks - Ravishingly Russian

Julie Amacher's desire to introduce others to great music is what led her to radio. She began her professional broadcast career at a station in Sun Prairie, Wis. She went from rock 'n' roll to the Rocky Mountains, where she found her niche in public radio at KUNC in Greeley, Colo. Julie spent 13 years at KUNC, where she managed the announcers and their eclectic music format. During that time, she earned four national awards for best announcer. She joined Minnesota Public Radio in 1997 as an on-air host and also produces New Classical Tracks, a weekly podcast sharing behind-the-scenes stories about a new release each week. It airs locally at 7:15 a.m. and 5 p.m. Wednesdays and at 9 a.m. on Saturdays.


Julie Amacher

Robert Simpson first captured the spirit of Russian choral music from his Russian wife Marianna Parnas Simpson. But tracking down scores for what would become the new recording of his Houston Chamber Choir, a disc called "Ravishingly Russian," turned out to be a stumbling block.


New Classical Tracks: Ravishingly Russian - Houston Chamber Choir

Oslo Chamber Choir

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Alison Young

When the Oslo Chamber Choir tours Minnesota this weekend, they will have an action-packed four days with nary a break. Friday in Moorhead, Saturday in Minneapolis, Sunday in St. Cloud and Monday in Northfield.


Oslo Chamber Choir Tours Minnesota

Cantus and the National Lutheran Choir perform in the Classical MPR studio

Two Minnesota-based national touring choirs are performing together in a concert titled, "Soul," featuring the music of Gabrieli, William Byrd and new arrangements of traditional gospel songs.


Classical: Cantus and the National Lutheran Choir: Hold On (Arranged by Marques L.A. Garrett)

Classical: Cantus and the National Lutheran Choir: Ye Shall Have a Song

Cantus and the National Lutheran Choir perform in the MPR studios

VocalEssence "Light In The Shadows"

Berlioz "Te Deum"

John Birge has been hosting, producing and performing classical music for more than 25 years. Since 1997, he has been hosting on Minnesota Public Radio's Classical Music Service. He played French horn for the Cincinnati Symphony and Pops Orchestra and performed with them on their centennial tour of Europe in 1995. He was trained at the Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, Eastman School of Music and Interlochen Arts Academy.


John Birge

VocalEssence and the St. Olaf Choir perform the Berlioz Te Deum at the Cathedral of St. Paul.


VocalEssence performs 'Light In The Shadows'

Eric Whitacre and VocalEssence

Eric Whitacre is a phenomenon. He couldn't read music when he started college, but within a few years he was composing music that was performed and recorded by professional choirs around the world.
